Happy Bastille Day : Celebrations Series Pt 5
by Theadosia57
Summary: Summary: Graduation has passed and Bella & Carlisle make plans for a new life in England. While in Paris Alice watches the fireworks from her apartment as everyone around her celebrates. Alice's P.O.V Pt 5 of Celebrations. Carlisle/Bella DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its characters belong to S. Meyer. Otherwise, the rest is my musings on an AU.


**A/N: Oh my lord people, my stats have gone crazy, 3 stories just cleared 100,000 hits last week, 'Decisions Decisions' , 'Was I That Gullible' & 'Don't Change For Me, Cause I'll Never Change For You'. While, 'Is It Black Or Is It Noir' made it to 30,000 & 'Fool Me Once' to 40,000. You guys are awesome xx Alexis**

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**La Fête Nationale **

It had taken six very long and laborious months for it to finally hit Alice; she was no longer the centre of attention! She had no friends, no family and little or no money. One would have been bad enough, but all three together was devastating to her. Alice was the epitome of a diva! Being alone and ignored was untenable for her.

"I hate my life! I hate everything and everyone! God Damn it, I even hate Paris now" Alice was ranting at vampire pitch to herself.

She'd tried to reinvent herself, but how could she? Being frozen this way, she can't grow taller, she can't grow her hair! Well not without getting extensions, but you know what I mean? Alice had changed her diet because the gold eyes told everyone who she was, either a Denali or a Cullen. Jesus talk about painting a target on your back. She even had to change her name, how annoying. Nevertheless, not once had she thought to avoid other vampires.

She had been trying to make some money because her lifestyle was expensive and Alice couldn't make money as quickly as she spent it. Everyone assumes that if you can see the future you can cheat in the casinos, but no! It's all chance and random. The spin of a wheel and role of the dice are too dependant on the human doing it, any distraction and their pressure could be affected and the outcome change in a flash and her money would be gone.

Alice was reduced to playing the stock market and even that is risky. She felt her whole life was at the whim of humans, will they, won't they and so on. It's demeaning she thought and if this keeps up, she'd be forced to start robbing banks or something drastic! She didn't have the luxury of waiting on long term yields, as she had in the past; they were a much surer thing.

Any hidden things she had were long gone as Carlisle sold them all. Her vintage shoe collection was worth a fortune and it had been her rainy day stash, they all thought she was just obsessed with shoes. Dear God, imagine if she had to do hard work for a living! No, Alice was looking for the best way to make a quick buck.

All around her, the French are celebrating, Bastille Day. La Fête Nationale they called it, almost like the Fourth of July for Americans. But, instead of celebrating casting of the British yoke, the French were celebrating the fall of the French aristocracy, the fall of the Monarchy itself! Cries of **Vive La France, Vive La République!** Were heard long into the night as fireworks flashed blue, white and red across the sky.

They were happy, laughing, and making Alice more and more mad!

"I tried to seize power like them; I tried to overthrow the person holding the wealth. I wanted to be in charge for once, but I failed. Oh, I failed spectacularly!" she hissed to herself.

She could see them all, making something of themselves; damn they are even making money. They all seem happy to work for the humans, Rose in Scotland, making friends. Esme in Denmark, helping the needy. Emmett in New York, doing whatever it is he's doing! Carlisle and Bella getting ready to fly off to Britain, he has taken six months out, living off his interest no doubt!

Then there's that snake in the grass to her mind, Jasper Whitlock, he was rolling in cash, back there in his home state of Texas. Money he hid from her for all those years, how he did it she had no idea. However, she surmised it would have been that bloody Peter Whitlock, why could she never see him clearly? Alice hated that man and his mate, obnoxious hillbillies! They had always seen through her no matter how much she fooled the others, the Whitlocks didn't fall for her bullshit!

Only Edward is having a bad time of it and he's no one but himself to blame,

"I just wanted the money, he wanted the money and the girl, fool! Not because he loved her or even desired her, no he wanted what was Carlisle's, including his mate! As if that would have made him like the original! No, the original is too good, too nice and was too damn smart in the end!" she said quietly to the sky over Paris.

**HBD**

Carlisle and Bella were having a much needed quiet evening together, Charlie was working the night shift and after the last few days, Bella required a rest. Her summer was turning into a round of we must do this before you leave events! Her friends all wanted to spend quality time with her, as did her father. Jacob was still trying to convince he would be better for her than Carlisle, that child never learned.

She had gotten so angry with him at the 4th of July bonfire at La Push. He was bolstered up with a few cans of beer he had grabbed at her, kissing her forcibly and was hauled off her by Sam and Paul. She had ripped a strip off of him in front of everyone, telling him this was exactly why she could never be with him. He didn't have any respect for her at all, not as a woman or a friend.

He was so immature, not to see what he had done was wrong and offensive, treating her like a possession. That no man had the right to force a woman to kiss him. His attitude hadn't changed, only in his eyes his opponent. Carlisle replaced Edward and Bella was the prize. Billy was mortified and told Sam to take him away and make sure he never did that to any woman again, asking him to use his Alpha command on him.

Jake would be in for a major surprise when and if he imprinted, they came first and they were in charge! Carlisle was so irate when she called him and asked him to pick her up on the PA side of the rez. However, one look at the anger sparkling in her eyes, he knew she was fine and had dealt with it herself. He had no intention of fighting all her battles for her, she was his mate, not a child and if she needed his help, she would ask for it.

They would be leaving in a few weeks and today was one of the rare few they had had together, totally alone at last. Nevertheless, Carlisle wasn't complaining, soon he would have her all to himself. He was happy to let her have this time to say her goodbyes and make a few last memories with her father. He unlike both Edward and Jake, didn't want to own Bella, he wanted only her love and companionship, as he in exchange would give her his.

**HBD**

Some would say Alice had tried to change too much in the past, but not her! No, she could find no fault in what she'd done. Rather the others hadn't done it right or fast enough; it would in her mind never be her own error that brought her to this predicament. While the others were learning from their mistakes, Alice held only anger and animosity toward them for bringing her so low.

"I didn't change them enough, they resisted and wanted free will how dare they thwart me! What's this? Another letter from a fashion house my line of credit has been withdrawn! How dare they, don't they know who I am? Oh, no they don't, because I'm no longer Alice Cullen their best customer. I'm Mary Brandon, a nobody!" she spat at the letter in her hand.

Can she sink any lower? Already living amongst the humans in a second rate, second string apartment, like a poor person, like a celebrity! All those pathetic wannabe's Alice thought they had no idea what class was and think this is luxury. She'd known better and thrown away better things than the cheap tat they wear, thinking it's the best!

"What am I doing, I need to think, I need a plan! I think Paris may have been a mistake, I need to start smaller and regain my status slowly, but how?" she questioned herself.

"Darling, when we get home to the states, I think we need to hire a person. Someone to furnish our new place and make it look like a million bucks!" a voice from the apartment above her said,

"Yeah, okay sweet cheeks what every my baby wants. Money's no object, you show the world who you are Candy" came the reply and Alice could tell he was much older than her, ah, a sugar daddy.

That's it! Nobody knows style better than she does! She'd become a home stylist guru for the rich and famous. One who can predict trends, make them happen even and her first client will be the delightful Candy, god help them both! Time to get Jenks to forge some documents and get her a portfolio.

"Jenks? Get me documents overnighted, I am about to take the world by storm and you are going to help me!" she said imperiously and would have been insulted to see him roll his eyes.

Hell, she can even employ companies she'd used in the past. Already knowing everyone who's anyone and could use all those connections to get business and once she had done a few of the hoi polloi then Alice could step it up a gear and really spend money and it won't even be hers.

"Why have I never thought about this before? I can make the whole world beautiful and have all the glory without much effort," she said happily to the room around her.

The humans all knew her as Alice Cullen, but she could just say I'm divorced and it's Alice Brandon now. Easy, Alice couldn't use Carlisle or Jasper's names but she can still keep her human contacts so that was a plus. It's vampires she needed to avoid for now, but one day they will seek her out and ask for help, her intuition. She may or may not help them then, after all where were they now?

Funny they don't want to know the future unless it is to show they are better than others are or have the latest trends and fashions. Alice had the perfect name, Sixth Sense, Home Design Stylist. Not hiding like the others, everyone will know it's her and she will bow down for no one.

"Thank you Paris, you have inspired me, not quite what I imagined. Maybe better, I will be the woman the world wants to make their homes spectacular, their banal little lives less tawdry! I Alice Brandon will be the queen of fashion and taste once again," she laughed spinning around her room.

She knows she was about six months behind the others finding herself, but they all had skills before. She'd never had to work or really had to fend for herself much. It was so much easier after her change; her needs were less advanced and much less expensive. There was only that one time before Alice met Jasper.

She had to get from Biloxi MS to Philadelphia PA. But she was a woman alone and quite frankly scared. It didn't matter she was a vampire, who really knew nothing about being a vampire and so Alice joined a travelling fair as a palm reader. Sometimes she got visions of the people other times not, but made up what they wanted to hear and only stayed until she was in Philly.

Then Alice rented a little house and waited, she was careful and frugal and bored to tears. That was when she decided being rich would be far better than being poor for eternity. Unlike the others, Alice was only doing this for the greater good of Alice. She would not be giving back when it came to money Alice did not share. She wasn't doing it for redemption, but for glory! Esme was right Alice would survive and even prosper, but would she ever be happy?

**HBD**

The dungeons of Volterra were very quiet and peaceful, Edward Masen as he was now known as sat in the corner of his chosen cell. For once he was neither moaning or insulting anyone, no fighting against the laws of his kind, he was silent! A rare state for the boy that would be King! Edward was beginning to see he never was that special, in anyone's eyes but his own and at one time Carlisle's! He was meditating, learning how to not listen!

He had been allocated a room with the lower guard, but although they refused to speak to him, they thought loudly in his direction. This made him look and caused him untold pain and then he was punished for doing so. When he railed and whined that he couldn't turn it off Marcus Volturi had said,

"Have you ever tried child?"

Well no, he had not; Edward thought it was his God-given right to know what everyone else was thinking and had never tried. Now six months into his new life he was starting to ignore many minds. The quiet ones were the easiest it was like being in an art gallery or a restaurant, you caught murmurs of conversations, but you ignored them. The loud ones were the hardest and best avoided at all costs.

In the cell next to him were cages upon cages of rats, Edward was now breeding them as his main food source. He was becoming the ghost of Volterra, everyone knew he was there, somewhere, but very few ever saw him. Worse, very few actually cared and this was a new experience for the pompous and self-centred Edward. His only link to the world above him was Marcus, who on occasion left him books to read and notes saying where to go for the most quiet and when.

**HBD**

Getting Candy to take her on as a stylist was easy for Alice; all she did was dazzle her and had her eating out of her hand. Alice had good taste most of the time and what was not so good was generally confined to her own private space, at the Cullens it had been her garish pink bedroom.

"It's my me space, everyone needs one," she told Candy,

Where no one else would ever see, that way the rest of the home would conform to Brad's family, their expectations of her as his wife. She even helped the girl with her wardrobe explaining,

"Sluts 'r' us is fine for getting the man, keeping him is a whole other ballgame!" she was pleasantly surprised to find Candy wasn't as dense as she made out.

As far as Candy was concerned she may be wife number five, but she intended to be the last one Brad ever had. So with Alice's help, she contained the slutty look to her undergarments only. Brad was very taken with the scary little stylist and once back in the states was singing her praises and Alice's phone started to ring more often.

Yes, the future was looking brighter for Alice Brandon, but what she didn't see was how lonely it would be. Once her clients no longer needed her she was once more on her own. It didn't register now, but once the shine wore off, Alice would be alone and rich granted, but nevertheless still alone. But arrogant people like Alice and before her Edward, couldn't see acquaintances, were not friends!

Unlike Rose and Esme, Alice found it hard to entertain herself. Not in the sense of going out and doing things, but in the quiet downtime moments. They could see the beauty in peace and tranquillity, Alice grew bored and antsy. She needed to fill every moment with noise, be doing something to show how special she was. Alice needed to be validated at every turn, god help her poor mate if he ever turned up.

**HBD**

Bella and Carlisle were almost ready to leave; he was going ahead with most of their things to Seattle. Bella would follow later that day, telling her father she'd stay overnight there before catching the early morning flight to London. He insisted on taking her to Seattle and she didn't dissuade him, this would be the last time she probably would see him in the flesh so to speak. She promised to write, phone, and email him while in London.

Although it was only the middle of August, Bella had told Charlie she wanted to see all that London had to offer before she started College in late September. Because she'd be to busy afterwards. In his heart he knew this was the end for them, Bella would never return to life in Forks. She had the world at her feet and as her father, he couldn't begrudge her that chance.

In his mind, he knew he had already lost her. There was a man in her life he knew it, but not who! She had blossomed into a confident and more outgoing young woman and much as he wanted to credit her friends with this change he knew better. Someone with the power over her heart was giving her all the love and encouragement, neither Edward or Jake could manage. That's how he knew it was a man and not a boy.

An image of Carlisle Cullen flashed through his mind, but he dismissed it! No, he shelved it for now under miscellaneous. Too many coincidences were happening and that look she gave his retreating figure at the fun run, circulated in his head. It was a case of like Father like Daughter with those two, they were so alike. Quiet, observant and single-minded, yes, Charlie and Isabella Swan were two peas in a pod!

**HBD**

Alice was in her element, she was spending lavish amounts of money, even though it wasn't her own. She was now on her third client and word had spread. She was making waves in the world of interior design and could snap her fingers and have designers running to her side. They knew soon she could make or break them with a few words. It gained her no friends and possibly a couple of enemies, but she cared not!

Life was once more good and she was living in the lap of luxury and at cost price. The world was watching her, Volterra was watching her and even a couple of ex-family and friends were watching her. Alice saw it all and smirked to herself,

"I am somebody! I am Alice Brandon and they better not forget it!" she told her otherwise empty apartment,

It was still too early for her to see how shallow her victory was, how empty her life was or how sad a figure she cut when alone in her palatial home. But it would come, one day Alice would see money is not everything and it never should be! She still had a ways to travel, but realisation would dawn on her eventually.

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**Vive La France, Vive La République! (French) - **Long live France, Long live the Republic!

**On 14 July 1789, a state prison on the east side of Paris, known as the ****Bastille****, was attacked by an angry and aggressive mob. The prison had become a symbol of the monarchy's dictatorial rule, and the event became one of the defining moments in the Revolution that followed. When the ****Bastille was**** stormed, it symbolized the ****fall**** of Louis XVI and the Monarchy. It ****was**** a sign that the Revolution ****had**** started, and the people shall seize the power from the wealthy. The people shall rule themselves**.


End file.
